EMILYs List Statement on Jeff Sessions’ Confirmation as Attorney General

February 8, 2017       

EMILYs List Statement on Jeff Sessions’ Confirmation as Attorney General 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Stephanie Schriock, president of EMILYs List, released the following statement after Jeff Sessions was confirmed as United States Attorney General. 

“This is a troubling day for women, families, and all Americans concerned about protecting our core values and the American principles that this country was founded on. Our attorney general is entrusted with safeguarding the rights of all Americans and must answer solely to the Constitution and the laws of our land. Jeff Sessions was not just one of Donald Trump’s earliest and most vocal supporters – he helped advise Trump on immigration policy prior to Trump's unconstitutional Muslim ban. Furthermore, as a senator, Sessions voted numerous times to defund Planned Parenthood, has attacked voting rights, consistently adopted a hard line against legalizing undocumented immigrants, and voted against the Violence Against Women Act – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.”

“Americans are justifiably concerned about Sessions’ ability – or lack thereof – to remain impartial under this administration. Our EMILYs List women have been vocal opponents of this pick from the start, and they will hold Sessions accountable to his office in the months and years to come.”

EMILY’s List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, has raised over $500 million to support pro-choice Democratic women candidates – making them one of the most successful political organizations ever. Our grassroots community of over five million members helps Democratic women wage competitive campaigns – and win. We recruit and train candidates, support strong campaigns, research the issues that impact women and families, and turn out women voters. Since our founding in 1985, we have trained nearly 10,000 women to run and helped elect 116 women to the House, 23 to the Senate, 12 governors, and over 800 to state and local office. Forty percent of the candidates EMILY’s List has helped elect to Congress have been women of color – including every single Latina, African American, and Asian American Democratic congresswoman currently serving.